Nathan Marti [Grassland Veterinary Service] - Comment

To Whom It May Concern: I am greatly opposed to the prohibition of extra-label use of cephalosporins in food animals. I believe a large number of animals will suffer unnecessarily because of this ruling. I have found the extra-label use of cephalosporins in small ruminants and camelids to be both safe and very effective for numerous bacterial infections. These species have almost no approved drugs, especially ones that work well for pneumonia or mastitis. The majority of goats, sheep, llamas, and alpacas that I see are family pets. Yet, I will be forced to give either sub-par treatment, or no treatment at all to these animals which will inevitably cause undue pain, discomfort, poor health, and even death to some. Additionally, I find the extra- label use of long-acting cephalosporins a necessity for both animal and human safety in several situations with beef cattle on pasture. I will leave the protest of the reasoning for this rule (resistance) to the organizations that have the science to show there is no undue risk to the human population with judicial extra-label use of cephalosporins in food animals. I would suggest the FDA look to the human doctors for over prescription of cephalosporins and nosocomial infections as the main source of resistance in the general population. Sincerely, Dr. Nathan Marti, DVM